Twilight Dream
by Atrile
Summary: She was his first love. Beautiful as an angel and radiant as the sun. And he would do anything to make her smile.
1. Anything For You

Chapter 1 – Anything For You

 _Disclaimer: All rights belong to their respective owners._

 _Author's Note: If you enjoyed the story, please leave a review and let me know what you think._

* * *

Her wings once embodied the sun, bright and radiant in their purity. Now they were stained black, leaving her with nothing but bitter regret.

"Will you die for me?"

He stood dumbly, mumbling a confused, "Huh?"

It was almost adorable, like a naïve puppy waiting for the owner it had abandoned. She had been like that too once, before she had thrown away everything – her wings, her _Father's love_ – for foolish, unrequited love, and look how that turned out.

No, she had lived too long. The world didn't work that way.

And she raised her hand to throw the light spear.

At the very least, she would make it quick. Painless. He deserved that small mercy. She would take no pleasure in it.

In a way, it had been an enjoyable day. Watching him bumble around, trying in his awkward, clumsy way to make her happy. Almost enough to make her forget about the past.

And then she noticed.

A red gauntlet manifested on his arm.

That wasn't the Twice Critical.

That was the Boosted Gear.

How could she not recognize it? How many decades had she spent in Azazel's workshop, always trying and failing to charm him while his eyes held interest only for the artifacts in his hands?

Her pupils dilated, eyes disbelieving. But it was true. The boy had one of the thirteen Longinus, unique Sacred Gears that had the power to kill God.

And now, it was in her hands.

She let the light spear dissipate into motes, closing the distance between them while swaying her hips.

Running her fingertips down his cheek, she leaned forward and whispered into his ear, "Would you die for me? Can you promise me your life? Your heart? Your _soul_?"

He stumbled backwards, trembling uncontrollably, eyes darting wildly. The back of his ankle hit concrete, and he found himself sitting down on the rim of the park fountain.

"Uh – uh…," he stammered, lost for words.

Raynare closed the gap, refusing to let him escape. Facing him, she sat on his lap, creamy thighs sandwiching his waist. Long, delicate fingers reached up and caressed his cheeks, forcing him to look into her deep violet eyes.

"No, you need to decide now," she whispered seductively.

He shivered involuntary at her words. She could feel his heart thumping wildly.

Issei swallowed, then asked, "You … really want me?"

"What's wrong, Issei? You don't like me?" she teased.

"If you're okay with someone like me," he murmured, tears beginning to well up in the corner of his eyes.

"Your life, heart and soul," she reminded gently.

Issei nodded. "My life, heart and soul. I'll do anything for you."

She leaned in and pressed a chaste kiss against his cheek, leaving him to touch the spot in a daze.

Raynare smiled and moved to the side, pulling his head down onto her lap and gently massaging his head.

As he played with the ends of her long, silky hair, she told him about the truth of the world.

Of how she would guide him, and teach him.

Of the Devils, and the Church, and a thousand other threats to him.

Of their future.

And when he fell into slumber, exhausted from the events of the day, she closed his eyelids and a cruel smirk formed on her face.

A new dawn was approaching.


	2. I Was Waiting For You

Chapter 2 – I Was Waiting For You

He dreamed of a beautiful angel, with silky black hair, long feathered wings, and deep purple eyes.

And when his face grew wet and tears began to run down his cheeks, he did not move. He could not think of anything, but to lay there, frozen. How could she be real? All his life, no girl had ever given him the time of the day. If he was lucky, they looked at him in distaste, as if they had seen an insect. But normally, they didn't even take notice of him. No, he was more like air, stinky, unpleasant air that caused them to wrinkle their noses in disgust, but quickly forgotten and ignored.

If she was the product of his dreams, then he would want to dream forever. No other girl could compare. All the girls he had seen in real life – they wouldn't let him walk within arm's reach of him. They insulted him behind his back and to his face all the same. The few girls who were willing to engage in polite conversation … soon, they too were swept into treating him the same way, after receiving warnings from their friends about his 'true nature'.

Even his 2D girls were a pale shade in comparison to his beautiful angel. No, they could never touch him and embrace him the same way. _She sat on his lap, creamy thighs sandwiching his waist_. He curled up, bringing the blanket up to cover his head as vivid memories of his dream continued to assault him. Even when he closed his eyes, he could only think of _her_. Of playing with her long, silky hair, or gazing into her deep, purple eyes. All these years, had he been wasting his life? All those adult-only visual novels and eroge … what had been the point? Countless hours spent debating who was the best 'waifu' with Motohama and Matsuda. But he knew the truth now. It was meaningless. There was no debate. In front of his angel, these other girls paled in comparison. There was only one girl he could ever love. A girl who was as beautiful as an angel, worth more than all the others put together. Even if she wasn't real … he had found the one.

He touched his cheek, remembering where she had kissed him.

The minutes ticked away, and eventually Issei's mother walked into his room to see why he hadn't come downstairs.

He lay there listless, as if in a daze.

After no small amount of effort, she dragged him out, forcing him to change and eat breakfast. All of his motions were robotic, as if he were on auto-pilot, following routine to perform the same actions he had always performed before.

And then he walked to school, the same way he had yesterday, and the day before, and so on, until he reached the school gates, where the president of the student council, Souna Shitori, gave him a disapproving look, scolding him for being late. It was of little concern to him, and he instead looked her over. She had short, black hair that failed to reach her shoulders. _Long, silky black hair_. A petite chest and a slim, pixie build. _Soft but full, they pressed against his chest_. And her expression, strict and unyielding. _Her beautiful smile_.

In every way, he couldn't help but compare her … and find her lacking. It was ironic. A day ago, he would have happily extolled the sexiness of her strict demeanor, the way her short hair and glasses framed her face, or the intensity of her sharp eyes as she scolded him. Now … he walked by, ignoring her, leaving Sona to watch his back in surprise. Normally, the pervert would stare at her body and mentally undress her. But today … maybe he was feeling unwell? She would have to check in on that later in the day, as the well-being of all students were her responsibility.

And then it occurred to her. Maybe Rias had finally pulled off her plan today. Yes, it made sense. If Issei was a newly reincarnated devil, he would be feeling confused and lost. Her childhood friend was always bad at following up, and he likely hadn't received an explanation yet. On top of that, the bright morning sun was going to be hell for Issei, who would still be weak to sunlight and yet to develop any resistance. Yes, she nodded to herself. All was right in the world again.

He continued towards the classroom, tracing the same steps he always walked, before a bald, energetic boy strode up and pulled him into a headlock with a grin. And then Matsuda faltered, staring at Issei in surprise. There was no reaction. Normally they'd start the morning off talking about the latest eroge releases, or arguing about which girls were the hottest, or so on and so forth. But today, Issei's eyes were glazed over, as if he were half dead. Or maybe he'd been jerking off too much last night, and hadn't gotten much sleep. Matsuda nodded, having found an explanation, and he continued debating with Motohama, letting Issei slump over his desk to get some much rest after what was no doubt an intense marathon session.

The day passed slowly, and he continued to live. No, he was more like a zombie, going through the motions, a living corpse that had yet to expire. What purpose was there in life? He had finally found something greater, and it was beyond him, in a place he could never reach. Everything he had done before was meaningless, a complete waste of time. And he thought about a certain light novel he had read, where a boy had been trapped in a virtual world, and for a moment he wished that he, too, could be trapped with her, for an eternity.

Maybe he could sleep forever and dream of her. To slip into a coma and return to her embrace. But wasn't she an angel? He looked out the window and a thought occurred to his mind – it would be so quick and easy, if he were to just end it now. And if he were to go to Heaven, wouldn't he find her waiting? But what if he was wrong? No, he couldn't risk it.

The day passed slowly, and he sat there unmoving, an animated corpse.

The lunch bell finally rang.

o - o - o

"Rias, you know sometimes I really disapprove of your lack of preparation."

"Hm?" replied her childhood friend, stepping out of the shower – _had she really installed a shower in the clubhouse?_ "I don't know what you mean."

Sona sighed. "You can't hide it from me. I know you've had your eye on that Hyoudou boy for a while. But you can't leave him in the dark like this. It's irresponsible. I keep a firm hold of my Peerage, and you should do the same. What if something happens? You know it's difficult to cover things up."

Rias shook her head, letting droplets of water fly from her long, lustrous mane of crimson hair. A few landed on Sona's uniform, causing her to frown.

"Huh? Sona, I haven't recruited him yet."

Her lips pursed in disappointment, and she looked at the redhead with exasperation. "I know you want to keep him as a secret weapon for Riser, but you don't need to keep that from me, Rias. How long have we known each other for?"

Rias pouted childishly, "Sona! It's true, I really haven't recruited him yet. My familiar gave Issei a contract seal last night, but he didn't use it. I had Koneko waiting, but that crow didn't do anything to him. They just talked all night! Maybe she really is interested in him…"

Sona sorted. "You know the Fallen look down on humans, Rias," she spat, "I don't know what her game is, but she's definitely using him. Whether it's his sacred gear, or something else, who knows? You better keep a closer eye on him. I don't want this to get out of hand."

Rias shrugged, causing her voluptuous chest to bounce. Sona's lips thinned in disapproval.

"Don't worry, Sona. I have this all under control."

Sona pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. She still had a lot of other work to do. Running the school took a lot of time, and she also had to draw up training plans for her peerage, keep abreast of Devil politics, watch out for her sister's visits … maybe she should install a shower in the student council room. No, that was definitely against the school rules …

o - o - o

As a long-time member of the Go-Home Club, he would normally walk home with Matsuda and Motohama, talking about what they always did, or even going to one of their houses to stay up late at night and watch beautiful woman do what they did best. But today, he simply wanted to go home, to his cozy, welcoming bed, where the warm embrace of his angel awaited.

He gazed at the clock. Only a few more minutes.

ISSEI HYOUDOU, ISSEI HYOUDOU, PLEASE COME TO THE STUDENT COUNCIL ROOM.

Issei groaned, some girls had probably accused him of something again, and President Shitori would give him a long lecture. He hadn't even done anything today, but there was no way she would believe him – he credibility had been shot a long time ago. And why weren't Matsuda or Motohama being called up either? It seemed like he was always getting blamed. He was used to it, though. He thought of _her_ , the only person who would never blame him …

When he arrived at the student council room, he knocked, and a girl's voice called out, "Please enter."

As he opened the door, it occurred to him that that wasn't the voice of Souna Shitori. Or even that of Tsubaki Shinra, the vice president. He knew their voices well, having heard them scold him every week. And inside the room, there stood a dozen students, arrayed in a half-moon. Souna and Rias Gremory stood in the center, while the student council fanned out to the left, on Souna's side, and a handful of other students stood to the right, on Rias's side – Akeno, Koneko, and Yuuto.

He stared in confusion. What was going on?

Rias stepped forward, arms held out in a welcoming fashion, and declared, "Issei, I want you to be mine!"

And then wings spread out from the behind the three of them, and Rias as well. They were ugly things, long, bat-like sticks, like a dead, withered tree that was rotting from the inside. Nothing like the full wingspan of _her_ soft black feathers. He absently gazed at Rias's lustrous, crimson hair – _long, silky black hair_ – and stood there without responding.

Sona gave a sideways look to her old friend, one that spoke of disappointment and displeasure. And then she sighed, and nodded to the rest of the student council, who unfurled their own bat-like wings.

"We are devils," explained Rias, as if that explained things.

 _Devils prey on humans, Issei. They were born to sin. They live to corrupt humans, to make them despair, and take everything dear to them, and then some more. At first, they make a small deal, in your moment of weakness. You don't have any other choice, so you agree, and then they come again, and they tempt you over and over, until they have sucked you dry and you have nothing left._

His pupils dilated rapidly, leaving him staggering back towards the door. It was real. Everything was real. Last night hadn't been a dream. He had to get away. He had to escape before they took his soul – that already belonged to _her_. As he reached the door, he stopped, for there was already someone standing there. Kiba looked at him, shaking his head.

"Issei-"

Impossible! He looked back, and Kiba was no longer standing next to Rias. In the blink of an eye, Kiba had moved behind him, and was now blocking the door. No, they were devils, weren't they? Who knew what foul magic they had cast, perhaps teleporting behind him, or even casting an illusion over his mind. Already they were weaving a web of illusions and deceit, manipulating him like a puppet.

But he knew the truth. It was too late for them to ensnare him with words alone.

He looked at Sona, stammering, "Wh-why am I here?"

Sona frowned, giving another _look_ to Rias, but she did not reply.

Instead, Rias continued, "That girl you saw yesterday was a fallen angel. Once angels serving God, they have been cast down to the underworld due to their wicked nature. They're trying to manipulate humans and destroy us devils."

That was a lie.

 _Like parasites, they cannot exist without humans, and yet their very existence is antithetical to humanity. If you ever meet one, don't listen to them. All they do is lie. They tell you the things you want to hear, until you sign over your lifespan, your humanity, and even your soul. And then they throw you away like trash, because that is all you are after giving everything away._

"You don't believe me?" pouted Rias, dimples adorning her round cheeks, "she told everyone her name was 'Amano Yuuma', didn't she? Well, she's a Fallen Angel. Her real name … it's Raynare."

 _Gazardiel. That was my name. The Angel of Dawn. I was the harbinger of sunrise. And then … I fell into darkness and lost my purpose._

She had told him her _real_ name. Her story of how she came to be, of how she had lost her way, and had wandered, until she had ended up in Japan.

 _I decided to leave for Japan. They called it the land of the rising sun. I chose the name Raynare, to move on. Maybe I thought I could find myself there again._

He gave a mental sneer, thankful that he could read between the lines and avoid being entangled by her words. In another time, in another place, perhaps he would have walked to his doom with a stupid grin on his face, dazzled by her cute smile, voluptuous figure, and lustrous crimson hair. He would have willingly thrown away everything for her, sacrificed a limb like it was nothing simply to make her happy. But he knew the truth now, and she was ugly to him.

"You have a certain artifact in your body," explained Rias. "A Sacred Gear. It's a rare gift that certain humans are born with. Some of the greatest men in history possessed one. And now you do too. If you join us, we can teach you how to harness that power."

He shook his head, "I don't want any power. I…I just want to live a normal, happy life."

Rias smiled, approaching him. He noticed that her collar was unbuttoned, and he could see the swell of her breasts.

"I heard that you like cute girls, Issei," she flirted, "as a Devil, you might get a servant for yourself someday! Servants who will do anything you want … who will obey your orders."

A day ago, he would have been tempted by that offer. A Harem King, with sexy women at his beck and call. But now, he only had eyes for one.

He shook his head. "No, I only like 2D!" he proclaimed, stunning Rias into silence.

At this point, Sona stepped forward. "That's enough, Rias. You're too forward. As the student council president, I can't let this go forward, or I would be shirking my responsibilities."

She cleared her throat, causing everybody but Rias and her three to retract their wings. Sona then sat down, and folded her hands, resting them on her lap. It was a very professional, practiced look. To Issei, though, it looked like a monster playing at being a human. Adopting human habits, human mannerisms, human customs, but never truly being human. There was a certain supernatural grace to her actions, a sense of wrongness that she didn't quite conform to human limitations. It was too precise, too flawless, too well-practiced.

"You have other options, Issei Hyoudou. If you're interested in joining us Devils, I would be willing to consider offering you a place at the Student Council, with my peerage. After a trial period, of course. But I think you should take some to think it over. It's a big decision."

"Sona!" cried Rias, before being silenced with a _look_.

He smiled gratefully – as fake as them – and thanked her before leaving the room.

"He's mine, Sona! You can't just take him," protested Rias.

Sona rolled her eyes. "Yes, he's a pervert. But you can't just bait him with girls and expect him to sign up. He doesn't _know_ about our world, Rias. You have to take it slow and ease them into it. You catch more flies with honey, but not if the flies drown in the honey. Have you never recruited someone before, Rias?

Annoyed at the condescending tone, Rias flinched at that last question. It was true that she had found her other peerage members. All of them had been in desperate straits, fleeing some life-threatening situation or devastating crisis. Still … she didn't need to be so harsh, right? At least, not in front of her peerage.

The two did not continue the discussion, but continued to look out the window and watch Issei Hyoudou walk away.

o - o - o

His heartbeat was still beating rapidly, hands clammy, cold sweat on his forehead. He was going to go home, take a nice long shower, and figure out what to do from there. And maybe he could find _her_ , because she seemed to know everything. She had promised to look after him, to guide him and teach him.

But how was he going to find her?

"Issei!" somebody called out – a rare occurrence – and he looked up at the school gate, eyes widening in shock.

"Issei," she called out again, in that sweet tone that left his heart pounding and knees weak.

"I was waiting for you."


	3. I Have A Present For You

Chapter 3 – I Have A Present For You

"What's this? Raynare, aren't you done playing around with this trash?"

Torn from his moment with Raynare, Issei looked up at the interloper. It was a tall, middle-aged man with a grey trench coat and a fedora.

"Not now," she snarled. "We'll talk about this _later_."

He laughed sinisterly, forming a light spear in one hand.

"Don't tell me you're getting attached? You know the mission - he can't be allowed to live."

He threw the spear, and three pairs of eyes tracked it as it hurtled forward - two in shock, and one in gleeful expectation.

"No!" cried Raynare desperately, throwing her own spear to intercept it. The two collided. However, the latter was hastily formed, the product of a split second of reflex. Knocked off target, the light spear missed Issei's heart - and stabbed into his arm.

Issei screamed, pain flooding his brain. He dropped to the ground, clutching his arm, unable to think. He began to tremble and shiver, feeling hot and cold all over as his body tried and failed to interpret the pain exploding from his arm.

Seeing this, rage enveloped Raynare. "How dare you?" she hissed furiously. "How dare you!"

Spears of light forming in her own hands, her wings extending to their full span and billowing behind her as she exploded forward. Dohnaseek's eyes widened and he took a step back, taken aback at the intensity of her reaction. She had never blinked an eye when he killed the occasional human or Stray Devil, or when Mittelt brought back an unsuspecting victim to toy with. Raising his hands to defend him, he was thrown backwards by the strength of her attack.

A barrage of light spears flew at him with the ferocity of a storm. It was all he could do to defend against them, to deflect and avoid each one, until one slipped past his guard, and stabbed into his shoulder. And then another, and another, until he resembled a pincushion. He slumped to the ground, face frozen in indignation and shock.

Only then did Raynare stop, breathing heavily with exertion. _Issei's still hurt!_ She turned around in panic, running over to him.

It wasn't lethal, but it could have been, if she had reacted just a moment slower. Even then, it had been a close call. An inch to the side, and it would have slipped by his arm and gone through his chest.

Kneeling next to him, she pulled the light spear from his arm and tightly bandaged him. He would recover, given time. Still, though, this wasn't how she had planned to introduce him to the supernatural world. But maybe it wasn't so bad after all - it would give him a healthy dose of respect for lurking dangers and reinforce the importance of listening to her. Yes, he couldn't trust anybody. The Devils, the Church - everyone could and would manipulate him. Only she would guide him, and all he needed to do was follow her. And then one day, she'd have a Longinus wielder at her beck and call.

In fact, maybe it wouldn't hurt to scare him a little more...

o - o - o

Issei gasped, still terrified. Someone had throw a _spear of light_ at him, and he'd nearly died. But his angel had saved him - his guardian angel. He turned to look at her beautiful visage, a stupid grin taking over his face. How had he been so lucky to meet her? He still remembered the way she had fussed over him, nursing his arm and bandaging him. He'd seen it countless times in his eroge - a cute nurse coming to nurse you up, and then things would start to heat up. But it was a thousand times better in person, and she was his girlfriend too. He'd gladly take another hit if that was the price to pay for her nursing.

As they reached the intersection, she pulled his arm, leading him down a different path. Could it be...they were going to a love hotel? No, he shook his head. Calm yourself! He couldn't scare her off. Girls wanted it to be slow. They wanted their 'emotional connection'. Yes, he nodded. Take it slow. He needed to build up those relationship points first, like in a dating simulator.

"Where are we going, Raynare?"

"Call me Yuuma," she replied. "We're going somewhere where we can get a lot of privacy. We don't want anyone to see us."

He flushed, heart beating wildly. Could it be?

"I was thinking the nearby park."

 _The park!_ Issei stopped, adrenaline spiking. She wanted to do it in the _park_. For an inexperienced virgin like him, that was utterly terrifying and yet just the idea of it was sending thrills down his spine.

"W-what are we doing in the park?"

She turned to look at him, eyebrow raised. "Training. You nearly died just now, and he wasn't even that strong. I don't expect you to beat anyone anytime soon, but at least you can buy enough time for me to get there, right?"

Oh. Training. Still, at least she was concerned for his well-being. That was a good sign, right?

When they arrived at the park, Raynare set up wards to hide their practice from any passersby.

"The first thing you have to understand, Issei, is that Devils, Angels, or any other magical creature can do magic."

"Magic?" cried Issei. "You mean I can be a wizard like Henry Pedder? I can brew a potion and transform someone into a cute fut-"

"Um ... no," she explained. "Humans can do magic. But their magic is different. You need to do calculations to perform magic. When I do magic, I just need to think about it."

"But that's not fair!" protested Issei. "Who wants to do _math_ when they do magic? What's the point? It's magic!"

She touched his hand, gently stroking his palm.

"What's the matter, Issei? You're not willing to try? Not even for me?"

He gulped. "I'm willing! I'm very willing!"

She smiled and retracted her hand. "I know you won't disappoint me, right Issei?" As he nodded furiously, she continued, "So we'll spend some time on the basics. Maybe get you to practice on performing a simple spell matrix. It's not my specialty, but I think I know enough to get you started. And then after that, we'll start practicing with your Sacred Gear."

"The Boosted Gear, right? You told me about it earlier, it makes me twice as powerful every few minutes."

"Yes. You're very lucky. You have a lot of potential." There was a hint of envy in her tone.

' _I'm the lucky one'_ , Issei thought to himself. He'd met _her_.

They trained for a couple hours, until the sun began to set, and she had to leave, after a little bit of cuddling on the bench. Unfortunately, it turned out that he had absolutely no talent in magic. He was terrible at math, and didn't have any idea what he was doing. Giving up in frustration, Raynare had moved on to the Sacred Gear training, where results were more fruitful. By the end of the day, he was able to manifest his Sacred Gear on demand. Soon, he'd be able to talk to Ddriag, the dragon inside, she said.

Before she left, she'd given him a warning. The Devils would do anything to get their hands on him for his Sacred Gear. She said they'd go after him, or his friends, or even his family. Nothing was sacred. They were _Devils_ , after all. If he wanted to keep his friends and family safe - if he truly cared about them, he would cut ties and keep them at an arm's length.

 _Devils prey on humans, Issei. They take everything dear to them, and then some more. All they do is lie._

The idea terrified him. But he knew she was telling the truth. Just this afternoon alone, a Fallen had nearly killed him, and he had been powerless to stop it. How would ordinary humans with no knowledge of the supernatural world - how would his family, or Matsuda and Motohama be able to protect themselves?

While the Devils were the worst, not even the Fallen or the Church, or any of the other factions (there were plenty of others, she assured) would hesitate to manipulate and use him.

"Issei, I have a present for you."

Her words sent a thrill down his spine. The first thing a girl had ever given him. The first ever present from his first ever girlfriend. He would treasure it more than his own life.

It was a simple necklace – a silver chain with a small, sun-shaped gold pendant hanging from the chain. He stared at it, not daring to touch it, in case it wasn't real.

"Do you like it?" she asked, and he nodded enthusiastically. How could he not like it? Even if she had given him a fossilized piece of turd, he'd still put it in a glass display and show it off to his friends. Because _she_ had given it to him.

 _Gazardiel. That was my name. The Angel of Dawn. I was the harbinger of sunrise._

And then it dawned on him when he looked at the pendant, "It represents you, right, Yuuma?"

She beamed like the sun, whispering sadly, "Yes…promise me you'll never take it off. _Never_. Not in the shower, or when you go to sleep."

"As long as the sun rises," he promised.

And when she spread her wings and took to the sky, he walked home with a skip in his step. When he brought her home, what would his parents think? He finally had a girlfriend who liked him! And better yet, she was an Angel (literally)! His life couldn't get any better than this.

Even if they'd forget about him one day. Even if he had to move them away, and make it so that they had never had a son. A childless couple who had lived a happy life together. For their own safety. Even if...he still wouldn't trade it for anything. _She_ was worth it.

When he arrived at his neighbourhood, it occurred to him that his house was strangely silent, as if his family had gone to bed early.

There was no answer when he knocked on the door, or when he pressed the doorbell.

When he took out his key to unlock the door, he discovered that it was unlocked. Strange. While it was a safe neighbourhood, their family _always_ locked the door.

A deep, unsettling feeling grew within him, as he noticed that the entrance hall was a complete mess, as if it had been ransacked by a mob. A precious vase that his mother treasured - _passed down through generations_ \- lay on the floor, shattered into a thousand pieces. The family photos that had hung on the wall were ripped and torn to shreds, their frames irreparably broken. The light bulb was broken, furniture and decorations were scattered everywhere, and crimson stains with a metallic smell painted the wall, as if a little child had gone wild with paint.

Issei stepped into the house, gingerly walking over the broken glass and splintered wood. He did not take off his shoes.

In the living room, he could hear a sound. A wet, repetitive noise, like skin slapping together.

And then he turned the corner and saw a naked man with mottled, grey hair and blood-red eyes standing over the bloody corpse of his mother.


	4. I'll Let You Join Her

_Disclaimer: This chapter contains content which the reader may find unsettling._

The white-haired man tilted his neck, looking out of the corner of his eyes at Issei with a frown.

"What's up, kid?"

Issei stared in horror.

"Y-you … what are you doing? Who are you?"

The man rolled his eyes, then continued pumping his hips rapidly with renewed effort. Issei watched as his pasty white buttocks jiggled.

"Name's Freed, kid. Christ, can't a man get any peace around here? Give me a break."

"T-that's my mom! You … what–" stammered Issei.

There was no further reply, until the man let out a sigh of relief as he finished. And then he pulled up his pants and turned around, a deranged grin marring his face. Issei took a step backwards.

"That _was_ your mom, kiddo. And she gave me a great time. Now I'll let you join her!"

A white beam of light erupted from the hilt in Freed's right hand, and he began to approach Issei like a cat playing with a mouse.

Seeing the Holy Sword, Issei's eyes widened, recalling Raynare's words.

This was an exorcist from the Church, and he'd just slaughtered his family. Some tiny part of Issei's brain – the inner child – squealed in delight at seeing a _laser sword_. That part was crushed by an overwhelming explosion of _rage_ and _fury_. He trembled, hands shaking uncontrollably, but not from fear. It took all of his willpower not to explode forward and tear Freed from limb to limb, to make him _suffer_.

His left arm transformed into a crimson gauntlet, the emerald humming in approval to the storm of emotions that whirled in him.

 _Boost. Boost. Boost. Boost._

He coughed, spitting out blood. It felt _good_.

 _Boost. Boost._

Somewhere deep inside, a dragon _roared_ in approval.

 _Boost_.

It felt like someone was drumming in his head. It felt worse than when he had been stabbed yesterday, bleeding out on the ground. He _liked_ it.

 _Boost_.

This was his limit. His eyesight grew blurry, everything tinted red. He wavered, swaying back and forth as if he we were about to collapse. His legs shook with exhaustion. And yet, there was an eruption of power from within him. He felt like a god. He could crush this man like an insect.

 _Boost_.

Issei _surged_ forward faster than he'd ever moved before, bursting with unstoppable force. He swung his fist, knowing that he could kill the man with a single blow and crush his head as easily as squeezing an orange. Power singing through his veins, he roared defiantly.

He missed.

Recognizing the danger, Freed had sidestepped the punch. It was fast – for a baseline human – but clumsy and awkward by supernatural standards. Jolting forward, he lunged forward with inhuman speed, plunging his Holy Sword straight into Issei's chest.

Issei staggered to a stop, disbelief written on his face. He looked down incredulously, staring at the blade of light embedded in his chest. Only a small dribble of blood oozed out, as the blade of light had cauterized the edges of the wound.

Freed giggled wildly, taunting the boy, "Too slow! And now you've got a _hol-_ y problem. HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Issei continued to look vacantly at the exorcist, eyes glazing over and blood dribbling from his mouth. Freed frowned at the lack of response and pulled the sword back – only to realize that a red gauntlet had clamped onto his wrist. Freed sneered, reaching to pry it off with his other hand. After a few seconds, Freed began to panic, flailing and thrashing as he tried to move his hand. It was like his sword was stuck in a wall and his hand was encased in cement. Immobile as a mountain, he couldn't move it, no matter how much he pulled or pushed.

And then Issei began to _pull_. Inch by inch, he was dragged forward. Desperately twisting and turning, Freed was unable to escape his grip. And then Issei's strength was too much, and Freed's arm was ripped out of the socket. Adrenaline pumping through his veins, Freed barely felt any pain, but instead took the opportunity to flee in terror and escape from this nightmare.

A growing sense of weakness overwhelmed Issei, and his gauntlet vanished. Feeling light-headed, he collapsed to the floor, staring in a daze at the hole in his chest. It hurt everywhere. He couldn't move. He couldn't think. Just white-hot pain spiking in his brain. With his other hand, he gripped the pendant at his neck, and it began to glow faintly. His world went dark.

o - o - o

Sona rhythmically tapped the wooden desk with her slim, tapered fingers, before raising her hand to push up the bridge of her glasses.

"It's getting out of hand, Rias. They're all coming out of the woodwork. Crows. Strays. I'm even hearing whispers about the Church moving in soon."

Rias turned, her ample assets resting on her crossed arms.

"You don't need to tell me that, Sona. I'm well aware of what's going on in my territory."

"Do you really?" challenged Sona. "You know very well there's a delicate balance between the Three Factions. With our family background, an incident here won't be easy to contain. If things get out of hand, do you really want to be responsible for restarting the Great War?"

The redhead rolled her eyes. "Don't be so dramatic, Sona. Restart the Great War? You're too melodramatic. Yes, there's a rise in activity, but it's not that bad."

"Not that bad?" questioned Sona in a dangerous tone. "Just the other day, I had to send Tsubaki and Reya to cover up another incident. There was a murder. A man cut up into pieces, blood and organs everywhere! The police were already on the scene, you know. And you know what I found? A Gremory summoning circle. Yes, it was one of _your_ clients. So tell me, why am I cleaning up your mess?"

Rias flushed, fidgeting slightly as she avoided her childhood friend's sharp gaze.

"It must have slipped my attention. It won't happen again, Sona."

Sona shook her head. "That's not good enough, Rias. Just because you say that doesn't mean it's true – you'll need to sit down with your peerage and take measures to address the issue. Besides, I'm not looking for a promise from you. I'm your friend, not your boss."

She let out an exasperated sigh, taking off her glasses and putting them on the desk. Without her glasses, her bare, unframed face exposed the dark shadows under her eyes and bloodshot eyes. Seeing this, Rias swallowed, feeling somewhat guilty. As strict and uptight Sona was, she'd always been a good friend, and she silently vowed to herself to try a little harder to treat her better.

Sona leaned forward, looking Rias straight in the eyes. "You know, Rias. You and I come from a position of incredible privilege. But that power comes with a great deal of responsibility. I'm not going to lecture you. I just want you to be aware that regardless of our friendship, there will come a point where I will have to make decisions in the best interest of my peerage and my family. Decisions that you might not agree with. Are we clear?"

Rias frowned. She always hated being reminded that she was a _Gremory_ first, and _Rias_ second. But that didn't mean Sona was wrong. For a moment, she thought of her looming engagement with the Phenex Clan. She nodded. "I know, Sona. Sorry. I've just got a lot on my plate."

Sona leaned back, watching her with an analytical gaze.

"You don't need to apologize to me, Rias. While we're on this topic, don't you think your peerage is too small? You've only got three."

"Four," interrupted Rias. "I have four."

Sona arched an eyebrow. "He lives in a cardboard box, Rias. Permanently."

Rias blushed again. "Okay, three. But they're all beloved members of my family, and I won't have you look down on them."

"Look down on them? Akeno, Kenko, and Yuuto all have a lot of potential, Rias. I don't question that. But at the end of the day, three is too few, don't you think? You're stretched thin. There's no way you can govern Kuoh on your own. One of your clients was slaughtered, and you didn't even notice! And your upcoming engagement … you really need to start building up your peerage."

"I know, Sona. I'm working on it. I've got my eye on one, and I'm trying to recruit him right now."

Sona sat up straight, pulling her chair closer to the desk.

"That's right. Hyoudou Issei. Let me be frank with you. You asked me not to touch him _months_ ago, and you haven't made any progress. Now things are heating up, and I think you're running out of time. So let me give you this ultimatum – you have until the end of this weekend, and then I'll take him if you don't. Understand?"

Rias frowned, staring at her childhood friend.

"Fine. I'll pick him up tomorrow," she replied confidently.

Sona smiled. "That's more like it." Finished cleaning her glasses, she placed them back on. "By the way, Serafall asked me to let you know – we're having a get-together for the event next month, and the date's been moved …"

o - o - o

Raynare smiled, looking at the blonde nun in anticipation. A Longinus in one hand and Twilight Healing in the other. She was well on her way to becoming a major player in the game.

And then the jewelry she'd given to Issei began to go off. A deep sense of unease grew within her, and she spread her wings, flying over to his house, in the direction of the signal. As she grew closer, it continued to increase in intensity, as if his life was in danger.

No … it couldn't be.

She'd given _very_ clear instructions to Freed. He wasn't to harm Issei, or she'd thrash the living daylights out of him. No, he was only meant to show up and cause a scare. That wasn't that hard, right?

Her mouth grew dry as Issei's house entered her gaze. From above, it looked like a natural disaster. The front door had been ripped off its frame, the windows shattered, and furniture and belongings were broken and scattered everywhere.

No!

She dove forward, accelerating faster as the wind tore at her skin and eyes.

She barreled inside, not even landing, and saw Issei.

No, what she saw was his broken body lying there, a pool of crimson blood blossoming underneath him.

Impossible.

How had things escalated like this?

How had her plans gone so awry?

Dread and anguish threw her thoughts into a turmoil, before an idea occurred to her. Back at the Church, she still had a nun with a Sacred Gear that could heal injuries. Yes, she could still fix everything.

It took her only a minute to fly back, driven by urgency and despair. Without even landing, she swooped down and grabbed the nun, like a bird hunting its prey. Dangling from her arms and soaring through the sky, the nun flailed in terror, screaming and crying. Raynare ignored it all, but instead continued to fly faster and faster, until they had returned to Issei.

Dizzy and confused, the nun looked at Raynare with questioning look.

"Heal him!" she growled, losing patience with the girl.

She staggered over and knelt over his body, hands glowing with a gentle viridian light. It washed over her, strangely calming and soothing. As the seconds grew into minutes, her dread returned. Raynare stalked over, tightly gripping the nun's shoulder with her hand.

"He'll be fine, right? Tell me he'll be fine."

Tears welled up in the girl's eyes, and she shook her head.

"I can't do anything. He's … already gone."

"Try harder! You useless girl, try harder!" screamed Raynare.

She continued shaking the nun's shoulders, as the girl shook her head, and Raynare stared in disbelief.

How had things ended up like this?

 _Freed_.

It was all his fault.

A simple plan, and everything could have gone her way. She had made it very clear to him that Issei _was not to be touched_ , but he'd gone and done it anyway.

It was all his fault, wasn't it? Not hers. No, not hers.

"Go back to the Church," she told the girl.

She stood there quietly and waited, unwilling to leave.

Eventually, she knelt and whispered a quiet prayer, even though she knew there wasn't any point.

And then she spread her wings to go hunting, after one long, hard look at the face of a stupid boy.

Only a few minutes after she left, a large, crimson magic circle formed nearby and two figures appeared.


End file.
